The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-07
The Rev. DE-. George White.
o the Editors of the Appeal:


To the Editors Of the Appeal:
An article in yesterdays APPEAL
might lead some to think that there
existed doubt as TO whom the credit
OF the restoration Of Calvary Church
is due, its beauty and present status.
II you will allow me small space in
your valuable columns l will say
what / know OF the matter, and en-
deaver to render unto Cesar what is
Ce,ar's. For thirty long years have
known the Rev. DR.. George White as
rector OF Calvary Church. For thirty
long years, the day in and the day out,
in the seed time, in war times, in pes.
thence and in famine, as the faithful
shepherd he watched from tho sanct-
tusry of the church over his flock. At
the christening he was there, at the
marriage he was there, at the bedside
of the sick and dying he was there,
and at the burial Of the dead
to administer the last sad rites
lie was there again, and why now at
the harvest time when the field Is
ripe, aud who shall cay whose turn
next, for the reaper is no respec.er OF
persons? Rather should We all join
In one grand anthem and raise our
voices to heaven and in union sing
"Well done, thou good and faithful
servant"
For thirty long years / say l have
known the venerable Rector of CAL
vary Church, and for thirty long years
his ambition has been and YVES, alter
serving bis God, 10 restore and build
up his holy temple, to 80 symbolizs
the Father he follows to give to the
structure a Heaven directed aim, that
his congregation might be filed witn
devotion and not with pride and lofti-
ness, but with sscredness and humili-
ty, aud learn by the surroundings and
teachings orr littleness. His am,
apan, WAS to build up for his flock
sacred edifice with sermon in every
stone. With faith thstnever wesried,
he was steady at the helm; in the
storms ar d tempests, the good mariner
that he was, he was steady at the
helm, and after a piotage of thirty
years he can pon0er over the pa
and fill his heart with joy for how
well he has served his Master and His
will has been done.
Personally, for during these Thirty
years 1 can bear testimony to the
above-for hardly q month passed but
he consulted me en- the work-plans
were made and remade and as con-
stantly laid away, for his vestry would
say not yet, but with an iron will aud
stTong de ermination to still pub on,
and but few yeas since his faith was
rewarded, for the time had then come
in the remodeling of the old church
and its completion as II now stands.
To him alone all the credit is due. l,
as the architect, was simply the in
strument in his hands 10 carry out his
ideas. The internal arrangements,
the chancel, sanctuary and nave were
all his. He symbolized the whole.
was but the clay in the potter's hands,
and for thirty years many and many
has been the time, from his own
scanty means, has he paid for repairs
and alterations rather than burden
Others or let the old building want
for the same. In the restoration and
remodeing he was more than liberal.
for among other items he had placed
at the chancel the rood rAil--a SYM
bolic feature, dividing the nave from
the choir. This he paid for himself,
but during his sickness piece of van
dalism took 1t down and sold it to
another church without giving him
credit for it. All this can bear wit
ness to. In conclusion, l can bear
further witness that not a stone was
placed except through him. The Or
gan windows, altar, lects ms fonts are
there, directly or indirectly, through
him. To him all the praise and glory
is due, and while his good deeds may
be recorded above, yet today it would
be but meet Of us to place in the sanc-
tusry a tablet Of solid gold, set with
sapphires aud other precious gems, in
scrihed with the trials and fluctuations
in the undertaking of the building Of